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Southeastern trains has announced a special £10 return ticket for travel from London to Margate during the winter, in support of the Portas Pilot initiative.

It is hoped the special fare will help boost visitor numbers to the town.

Charles Horton, the company's MD, said: “Since we launched the high speed service we’ve seen passenger numbers to Margate increase by around 60 percent. We’ve also seen a boost following the opening of the Turner Contemporary, but we see less passengers travelling in the winter months.

“I met with Mary Portas last week to share our enthusiasm for supporting the regeneration of Margate. We’re calling this the ‘Portas Pilot’ ticket and we hope it will encourage more visitors to travel to Margate on the weekends during winter.”

Mary Portas added: “This promotion sums up the spirit of the Portas Pilots. Everyone playing their part to bring the buzz back to our town centres. Get on board and find out what all the fuss is about.”